There are two approaches for server management, typically management by an out-of-band baseboard management controller (BMC) or management by an in-band service network adapter. When boards in a server are managed by a BMC, an out-of-band network is used. When a status of an operating system (OS), a status of a Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) card, or a like situation is monitored, an in-band network needs to be relied on. As a result, both an in-band network and an out-of-band network are present for server management.
Most mainstream software in the industry supports both in-band management and out-of-band management, which imposes particular requirements on networking of a user. A server needs to provide a dedicated out-of-band management network adapter for out-of-band management and provide a service network adapter for transmission of in-band management data. In addition, the service network adapter can also be configured to transmit service data. Therefore, in the existing management method, one set of management needs to occupy at least two network adapters, resulting in a waste of service network adapter resources of a server.